Shenzhen Peng City F.C.

Not to be confused with Shenzhen Pengcheng F.C..

Shenzhen Peng City Football Club^[a] is a Chinese professional football club based in Shenzhen, Guangdong. The club competes in the Chinese Super League, the top tier of Chinese football. Shenzhen Peng City plays its home matches at the Bao'an Stadium, located within Bao'an District. They are partially owned by the City Football Group.^[1]

Shenzhen Peng City
Shēnzhèn Xīn Péngchéng
深圳新鹏城

Full name	Shenzhen Peng City Football Club 深圳新鹏城足球俱乐部
Founded	5 January 2017; 7 years ago (2017-01-05)
Ground	Bao'an Stadium
Capacity	44,050
Owner	Jianteng Fund (53%) City Football Group (47%)
Chairman	Tang Xigang
Head coach	Christian Lattanzio
League	Chinese Super League
2024	Chinese Super League, 14th of 16
Home colours Away colours

Founded as Sichuan Jiuniu Football Club^[b] in 2017, the club relocated to Shenzhen, Guangdong from Chengdu, Sichuan in January 2024, when it rebranded to their current name.

Clubs owned by CFG

Listed in order of acquisition/foundation.
Bold indicates the club was founded by CFG.
* indicates the club was acquired by CFG.
§ indicates the club is co-owned.

2008	Manchester City F.C.*
2009–2012
2013	New York City FC§
2014	Melbourne City FC*
	Yokohama F. Marinos*§
2015–2016
2017	Montevideo City Torque*
	Girona FC*§
2018
2019	Shenzhen Peng City F.C.*§
	Mumbai City FC*§
2020	Lommel S.K.*
	ES Troyes AC*
2021
2022	Palermo F.C.*§
2023	Bahia*§

History

The club was founded on 5 January 2017 as Sichuan Jiuniu. They participated in the 2017 China Amateur Football League the same year and managed to advance to the national play-offs, but was eliminated by Zhaoqing Hengtai in the first round. They were ranked 10th and later admitted into China League Two due to the withdrawal of several other teams.

On 20 February 2019, it was announced that the City Football Group, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi United Group, as well as UBTECH and China Sports Capital, had acquired the club.^[1][2][3]

On 23 May 2020, the Chinese Football Association announced that eleven professional clubs across China's top three divisions would have their registration cancelled over a failure to pay player wages.^[4] As a result, the CFA announced a reclassification of the teams which would contest their professional divisions. According to this reclassification, Sichuan Jiuniu was promoted to China League One for the 2020 season,^[5][6] which was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Sichuan Jiuniu expressed its interest to relocate to Changsha, Hunan, to the Chinese Football Association, but fell short in their attempt as the request was denied by the Chinese FA by April 2023.^[7] The Sichuan Jiuniu board, which includes the CFG, further expressed in a statement that, "if the Chinese FA are unable to fulfill their legal relocation request, then the board do not see a sustainable future in investing in Chinese football, and may pull out of the Chinese professional football league system, putting aside all previous investments and hard work."^[7]

On 18 October 2023, in their fourth consecutive season in China League One, following a 4–0 home win over Wuxi Wugo, Sichuan Jiuniu secured promotion to the Chinese Super League for the first time in the club's history.^[8] A week later on 22 October, Sichuan Jiuniu won the China League One title after second-placed Qingdao West Coast drew their match against Shijiazhuang Gongfu.^[9]

On 24 January 2024, the Chinese Football Association confirmed the club's relocation to Shenzhen, Guangdong.^[10] The club completed its rebrand to Shenzhen Peng City ahead of their debut Chinese Super League campaign.^[11]

Stadiums

In Sichuan Jiuniu's existence, the club have used a multiple of stadiums in their climb up the divisions. The grounds they used between 2017 and 2022 were the South Lake Sports Center and the Chengdu Longquanyi Football Stadium, and in the 2023 season, Sichuan Jiuniu played its home matches at the Shuangliu Sports Centre, the Chengdong Sports Park Stadium, and the Suining Sports Center. After relocation, Shenzhen Peng City plays its home matches at the Bao'an Stadium.

Crest history

• 
  Sichuan Jiuniu logo used between 2017 and 2023

Players

Current squad

As of 15 July 2024^[12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  CHN Li Zhizhao 2 DF  CHN Zhang Wei 3 DF  CHN Tian Yinong 4 DF  CHN Wang Qiao 5 DF  CHN Song Yue 6 MF  CHN Lin Chuangyi 7 FW  BRA Thiago Andrade (on loan from New York City FC) 8 MF  CHN Zhou Dadi 11 FW  ESP Edu García 12 FW  BRA Tiago Leonço 13 GK  CHN Peng Peng 14 GK  CHN Zhao Shi 15 DF  CHN Yu Rui 16 MF  CHN Li Zhi

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 FW  HKG Matt Orr 20 DF  SRB Rade Dugalic 21 MF  CHN Nan Song 23 DF  CHN Dai Wai Tsun (on loan from Shanghai Shenhua) 24 DF  CHN Wang Hao (on loan from Shanghai Shenhua) 25 DF  CHN Hu Ruibao 27 FW  CHN Behram Abduweli 28 MF  CHN Zhang Yudong 31 DF  CHN Nizamdin Ependi 33 MF  CHN Zhu Baojie 34 FW  CHN Shahsat Hujahmat 35 GK  CHN Wei Minzhe (on loan from Wuhan Three Towns) 36 MF  ISR Eden Kartsev (on loan from İstanbul Başakşehir) 44 FW  CHN Ruan Yang

Reserve team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 30 GK  CHN Zhang Yuquan — DF  CHN Wang Qi

No. Pos. Nation Player 9 FW  SWE Samuel Armenteros

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 39 DF  CHN Li Bowen (at Foshan Nanshi until 31 December 2024) 18 MF  CHN Muzapar Muhta (at Jiangxi Lushan until 31 December 2024) — MF  CHN Jin Shang (at Suzhou Dongwu until 31 December 2024)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  JPN Xia Dalong (at Guangzhou E-Power until 31 December 2024) 17 FW  CHN Tao Yuan (at Guangxi Pingguo Haliao until 31 December 2024)

Coaching staff

Source:^[13]

Role	Name
Head coach	Christian Lattanzio
Assistant coach	Gordon Forrest
Fitness coach	Javier Zudaire Izcue
Goalkeeper coach	Jiang Bo

Managerial history

• Cheng Liang (31 December 2017 – 30 May 2018)
• Dario Dabac (7 June 2018 – 11 January 2019)
• Wang Hongwei (27 February 2019 – 18 May 2020)
• Li Yi (22 July 2020 – 25 December 2021)
• Sergio Lobera (19 January 2022 – 21 April 2023)
• Jesús Tato (21 April 2023 – 3 October 2024)
• Christian Lattanzio (4 October 2024 – present)

Honours

League

• China League One
  • Champions: 2023

Results

All-time League Rankings

As of the end of 2023 season.^[14]

Year	League	Stage	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Pos.	FA Cup	Super Cup	AFC	Stadium
2017	China Amateur Football League	Second round	3	2	1	0	11	1	10	6	Qualified	DNE	DNQ	DNQ
		Knockout stages	2	0	1	1	3	4	−3	n/a	k/o (R16)
2018	China League Two	Regular season	28	6	10	12	24	27	−3	28	24th (of 28)	QF			Chengdu Longquanyi Football Stadium
2019			30	17	5	8	47	27	20	56	8th (of 32)	R2
2020	China League One	Regular season	10	1	6	3	8	12	−4	9	5th (of 6)	R2
		Relegation stage	5	2	2	1	6	5	1	8	3rd (of 6)
2021		Regular season	34	13	13	8	34	27	7	52	8th (of 18)	R2
2022			34	18	3	13	40	30	10	51	6th (of 18)	R2
2023			30	22	3	5	51	19	32	69	1st (of 16)	R3			Shuangliu Sports Centre Chengdong Sports Park Stadium Suining Sports Center
2024	Chinese Super League	Regular season	30	7	8	15	29	55	-26	29	14th (of 16)	R5			Bao'an Stadium

Key

China top division   China second division   China third division   China fourth division W   Winners RU   Runners-up 3   Third place   Relegated

Pld = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

DNQ = Did not qualify DNE = Did not enter NH = Not Held  – = Does Not Exist R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4

F = Final SF = Semi-finals QF = Quarter-finals R16 = Round of 16 Group = Group stage GS2 = Second Group stage QR1 = First Qualifying Round QR2 = Second Qualifying Round QR3 = Third Qualifying Round

Notes

1. simplified Chinese: 深圳新鹏城足球俱乐部; traditional Chinese: 深圳新鵬城足球俱樂部; pinyin: Shēnzhèn Xīn Péngchéng Zúqiú Jùlèbù; lit. 'Shenzhen New Peng City F.C.'
2. Chinese: 四川九牛

References

1. "Manchester City hail purchase of Chinese club as 'exciting new chapter'". The Guardian. 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
2. "Man City buy stake in third-tier Chinese club Sichuan Jiuniu FC". BBC Sport. 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
3. "曼城母公司收购四川九牛获官方宣布". Sina.com. 20 February 2019. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
4. "关于取消相关职业足球俱乐部注册资格的通知" [Notice on disqualification of relevant professional football club registration]. CFA (in Chinese). 23 May 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
5. "足协公布三级联赛准入名单：深圳递补中超，苏州等队递补中甲" [The FA announce the list for teams in the highest three leagues: Shenzhen admitted into the CSL, Suzhou among teams admitted into League One]. dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 23 May 2020. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
6. "关于公布2020赛季中国足球协会三级职业联赛俱乐部参赛名单的通知" [Notice regarding the announcement of the entry list of the third-level professional league clubs of the Chinese Football Association in the 2020 season]. CFA (in Chinese). 23 May 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
7. "九牛官方：足协变卦导致俱乐部无法搬迁，或考虑退出职业联赛" [Official from Jiuniu: The FA changed their mind causing the relocation to fall short, may consider exiting the professional football league]. dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 22 April 2023. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
8. "九牛4-0大胜无锡提前3轮冲超，明年与成都上演中超四川德比" [Jiuniu 4–0 Wuxi winning promotion with 3 rounds to spare, and will enjoy a Sichuan derby with Chengdu in the Chinese Super League] (in Chinese). dongqiudi.com. 18 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
9. "青岛西海岸被读秒绝平，四川九牛提前两轮夺得中甲冠军" [Qingdao West Coast suffer a last-minute equaliser, meaning Sichuan Jiuniu win the China League One title with two rounds to spare] (in Chinese). dongqiudi.com. 18 October 2023. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
10. "中国足球协会关于四川九牛足球俱乐部变更注册会员协会的公示" [The Chinese Football Association's announcement on Sichuan Jiuniu Football Club's change in the registration of its member association] (in Chinese). thecfa.cn. 24 January 2024. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
11. "中国足球协会关于四川九牛足球俱乐部有限责任公司更名的公告" [The Chinese Football Association's announcement on Sichuan Jiuniu Football Club's name change]. thecfa.cn (in Chinese). Chinese Football Association. 6 February 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
12. "四川九牛新赛季大名单：3外援领衔，赵旭日、邹正、王楚在列". Sohu (in Chinese). 6 June 2022. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
13. "关于聘任塞尔吉奥·洛贝拉先生担任四川九牛队主教练的公告". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
14. "四川九牛" [Sichuan Jiuniu] (in Chinese). sodasoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2018-12-04. Retrieved 2018-07-22.